Automobile-top.



J. V. MITCHELL.

AUTOMOBILE TQP.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNB13,1910.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

UNtaED STATESPATENT onirica'.

JAMES V.- MITCHELL, E MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA'.

. Autonomia-Tor.

To all 'whom 'it may concern: l i

Be it known that I, JAMES V. MITCHELL', a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsville, in the county of Morgan and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inA Automobile` Trips; and I do declare the following to be a ll,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as' will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

This invention relates to improvements in i automobile to s.

The object of the invention is to provide an automobile top formed in front and rear sections bothl of which maybe folded back. to an inoperative osition behind the rear seat or both entire y removed in the same manner as the ordinary top, Vor simply the rear section may be folded' or entirely removed allowing the front section to remain in operative position over the front seat.

With the foregoing and. other objects in -view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arran ement of parts as will be" more fully descri ed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the body of an automobile showing my improved topI applied thereto; Fig. 2 1s a top lan view of the same; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing both sections of the top swung back behind the rear seat; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the front section of the top in operative position and the rearsection swung back; Fig. 5`is an enlarged plan view of a ortion of the meeting edges of the two sections show ing one of the fastening devices for said edges; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the meeting edges of the front and rear sections' of thetop showing said edges separated and about to be engaged Fig. 'I is a similar view showing the edges of the sec.- tions engaged and fastened; Fig.' 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a plan view of one of the reinforcing plates for the meeting edges of the cover. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of the end of the intermediate bow of the front section. 'm

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 and 2 denote the bows of the rear section of my improved top. The bow 1 is pivotally connected at its lower end with the Specificatie of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 28, 1911. Application filed June 13, 1910. Serial 110.566,54. y

i supporting studs 3,.form 'ed on supporting shown. On the forward edges of the oppo` site ends ofthe'bow 1, are formed apertured lugs 5, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Y

' he front section of the top is' provided with bows 6, 6a and 7, said bows being provided on theirlower ends with .laterally pro- 'ectingapivot studs 8'which are adapted to e pivotally and detachably en aged with the supportin brackets 9 secured posite sides o the front seat as shown. In the outer ends of the studs 8 are formed apertures 10 withwhich are adapted to be engaged split keys 11 whereby said studs are held in o erative engagement with the apertures in the brackets 9. The key 11 is preferably secured to the bow 6 by a stra or other flexible connection 12 'so that said key will be retained in position for use when needed. The bow 7 of the front section of to thevopthe topA is pivotally connected to the bow 6A A as shown.

By thus arranging the bows forthe front and rear sections of my improved top, said rear section may befolded back or entirel removed independently of the front section and the latter left in operative position, or

both the front and rear sections may bekey 11, .thus securely holdin the front section in lowered osition. VVl en the sections arethusffoldeo'lv ack or lowered,the bows of the rear section engage and are Supported by the support-ingbar 13 secured vto the j bracket 14 ony the rear portion of the rear seat as shown.

In order to permit the rear section to be.

folded back or. entirely removed independently of the front sectionofV the top, I form the cover of the top in front and rear jsections'which, when the entire topl is in an elevated or operativapositinon, ave their meeting edges engaged and fastened together in such manner as to provide a water tight joint. In constructing the joint for the meet ing edges of the front and rear cover sections, the rear cover section 15' has 'formed in its front edge a hem in which is inserted a reinforcing plate 1 6, said plate beingprovided with a series of slots 17 Which-coin cide With similar slots 18 formed in the hem in which the plate 16v is inserted. The plate 16 is secured inthe hem by rivets or other suitable fasteners.

In the upper cross bar'l ofthe krear bow 6 of the front section, is formed' a series o boltholes 19 throughwhich and through the adjacent portion ofthe front cover 20 are' inserted a series of fastening bolts 21, the inner ends of which have a screw threaded engagement with the nuts 22 secured to thel under side of the bow by screws or'other suitable lastening devices. T he nuts 22 are provided with rearward projections 23 in which are formed'slots 24:, the purpose of which will `be hereinafter described. Stitched yor otherwise suitably secured to the cover 2.0, immediately ahead ofV the bow '.Ielalm isf; z- '1 6, is a flexible coveriiap 25 havin formed therein a hem in which is inserte'a rein'- forcingplate 26 similar in construction tothe plate 16, and havingy formed therein slot-s 27` which register with similar slots formed in the opposite sides of the hem of,

the Hap.A On the upper side of the flap and on the upper-sidey ofthe hem of the rear cover section, over each of the slotsformed therein, are secured Wear plates ,'28f'with which are engaged the heads 29v of the screws 21 when the flap is closed-andthe screws turned to operative position.- When the front and rear cover sections' are in ,operative positions,- the inner slotted end of the rear section vis adapted to enga e the inner edge of the front section1 and W ien so engaged the h-eads 29 of the screws 21 are passed through the slots18v and the heads 17 in the hem and reinforcing plate of said inner end of the rear section after which the fiap 25 is swung down onto said end of the rear section. When the plate is. thus swung down the slots therein and in the reinforcing platev of the flap are engaged with the heads 29 of the screws 21 'aiter A which said screws are turned to bring-the heads crosswise of the holes intliey wear plate 28, thereby securely holdingthe flap. down in engagement with the inner end of' the rear section thus securing said sections together toform a watertight joint.

Secured to the slotted extensions 23 of the nuts 22 and to the rear side of the curtain are curtain ,holding straps 30 which are adapted to support, in rolledposition a curtain 31 whichis secured to the rear e ge of the front section of thetop and'is adapted to be let down behind said section when the rear section of the' top is folded back and 'the front section allowed to remain in operative position. 0r it, when the front and j A top ffofr' Jing of'l'friit and'l rear sections, said front sectionfcomprising 4bows Iadapted to be piv-A otally and detachably connected to opposite 'sides of tlfxeffron't` seat, arcover section ar-V rangedhonsaid bows,'jthe rear section comrear sections of the top are :in operative posltion, 1t 1s desired to give the rear compartment a closed cab eiiect the curtain 31 mayv be letl down and secured to the back of the iront seat. The rear section may be provlded with the usual or any suitable form of curtain 31. The front and rear sections of the top are provided with the usual bracingstraps 32 Which, When said rsections arelet down, are unfastencd inthe usualmanner.

.F rom the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the lnvention will be readily understood without lrequiring a more extended explanation.

Various chan es inthe form, proportion andthe minor etails of construction may be resorted to'without departing from 'the principle or sacrificing any of the, advantages of this invention as definedin the ap pended claims.

Havingth l Vsdescrilied invention, what vehicles consistprising 'bows adapted Sto be pivotally con.

jnected tothe 4,opposite sides of rear seat, a cover section arranged on' vs'a'id'bows, said ycover section being/adapted to be engaged with 'the'innerend of the front'"cc'ivfer"sefctlony when said sections are;'in'raisedposition,av

iiexible Hap secured to said front cover sectionand adapted to overlap the adjacent end of vsaid rear cover section, slotted rein forcing plates arranged in said flap and in, the inner end of sald rear cover section, and c,

fastening screws arrangedin the inner end ofthe front section and adapted to be engaged with the inner end of the rear section and with -said flap whereby said sections are secured together to form a 'water tight-joint.

2. A' top for two' seated vehicles consisting of front and rear sections adapted to be independentlyv lowered and independently removed, said sections comprising bows,

front and rear cover sections. arranged@ said bows, a slotted reinforcing platewalranged in the,inner edge of the rear section, said reinforcing ,plate of the rear section being adapted to be engaged with the inner end of the front cover section, a flap pivotally 4connected to said front cover section and adapted to be closed inta engagement With the inner end-of the rear coverV section, a reinforcing plate in said ap,\ a series of nuts secured to the inner edge of said front section, and headed fastening screws having threaded engagement with saidnuts and adapted to be engaged. with the slotted reinforcing plates in the engagioo secured t-o thefront section, straps secured to said curtain, and straps hung in the slotted extensions of said nuts and adapted to loe secured to the straps on the curtain.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto `set 15 my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses. 4

.JAHES V. MITCHELL.

Witnesses GEORGE M. ISENHONER, CHARLES IsnNHoNnn. 

